Acclaimed British rock drummer Aynsley Dunbar celebrated his 80th birthday on January 10. Born in Liverpool, England, in 1946, Dunbar has played with an impressive list of famous bands and artists during his long career.
In 1967, Dunbar joined John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, which at the time also featured future Fleetwood Mac members Peter Green and John McVie. Aynsley was replaced later in 1967 by Mick Fleetwood, and then went on to launch his own group, The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation. He also briefly played in the Jeff Beck Group.
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In 1970, Dunbar became a member of Frank Zappa and The Mothers, and played with the band until 1972. During the 1970s, Aynsley also became a popular session musician, recording with such artists as David Bowie, Nils Lofgren, Ian Hunter, and Sammy Hagar.
In early 1974, Dunbar became a founding member of Journey, playing on that group’s first four studio albums. The drummer joined Jefferson Starship in 1979 and contributed to three of that group’s popular albums. In the mid-1980s, he enjoyed a short-lived stint in Whitesnake.
In the 1990s and 2000s, Aynsley worked with various noteworthy rock musicians, including Ronnie Montrose, Pat Travers, Eric Burdon and the Animals, Leslie West, UFO, Michael Schenker, Jake E. Lee, and Keith Emerson.
In 2017, Dunbar was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with Journey.
In honor of his milestone birthday, here are four famous songs by various artists featuring Dunbar’s drumming talents.
“Rebel Rebel” by David Bowie (1974)
Dunbar played on two Bowie albums—the 1973 British Invasion covers collection Pin Ups and 1974’s Diamond Dogs. Diamond Dogs includes Bowie’s glam-rock classic “Rebel Rebel,” which has become one of his most-covered compositions.
“Rebel Rebel” peaked at No. 5 on the U.K. singles chart and No. 64 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is one of Bowie’s most-covered compositions.
“Wheel In The Sky” by Journey (1978)
“Wheel In The Sky” is a song featured on Journey’s fourth studio album, Infinity, and its last to feature Dunbar. Infinity was also the band’s first album with singer Steve Perry, whose powerhouse vocals helped the group break through to commercial success.
“Wheel In The Sky” was Journey’s first charting hit. The soaring rock anthem reached No. 57 on the Hot 100 and has become a staple on classic-rock radio.
“Jane” by Jefferson Starship (1979)
The first Jefferson Starship album Dunbar played on was Freedom At Point Zero, which was released in 1979. At the time, former Elvin Bishop singer Mickey Thomas had recently become the San Francisco-area band’s new lead vocalist. This followed the 1978 exit of longtime lead singers Grace Slick and Marty Balin.
Freedom At Point Zero featured “Jane”, a rock anthem that showcased Thomas’ powerful, high vocals. The song was a major hit for Jefferson Starship, reaching No. 14 on the Hot 100.
“Is This Love” by Whitesnake (1987)
Dunbar joined Whitesnake in August 1985, replacing Cozy Powell. Aynsley participated in the recording of the band’s 1987 self-titled album, also known simply as 1987. Dunbar’s stint in Whitesnake didn’t last long—and he exited the group by the spring of 1986.
Meanwhile, the Whitesnake (1987) album went on to become the band’s biggest success, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The album included the chart-topping smash “Here I Go Again” and the No. 2 hit “Is This Love.”
Dunbar was featured on “Is This Love”, a power ballad that reached No. 2 on the Hot 100. He also played on the album version of “Here I Go Again”, but an alternate version was released as a single that featured former Montrose and Heart member Dennis Carmassi on drums.
The Whitesnake album has been certified eight times Platinum by the RIAA for sales of eight million copies in the U.S.
(Photo by Randy Bachman/Getty Images)